The pre-summit meeting held in Brussels, among the Prime Minister of Italy, Renzi, the German Chancellor Merkel, Hollande of France and Cameron of Britain smacks of colonial arrogance. They met to formulate a concerted military plan before the summit so that they couldpresent a fait accompli plan to the rest of the European leaders. However, the main partners in this Mediterranean tragedy were missing. These are Malta and Greece. The fact that Malta was not asked to participate should have made news locally. But some of our media is more interested to kowtow to foreign powers and past colonial perpetrators rather than to defend Malta’s interest. In this case, the fate of the Mediterranean is once again being decided by two powers, i.e. Germany and Britain, who have no stake in the area. One needs to ask why?

There is no doubt that past colonial history and dictatorship is conditioning Italy’s action in this sea.    

Despite the fact that all these leaders were colonial powers, Anglo-American historians treat Italy’s colonial past differently from the rest.  Germany lost its colonies in Africa after the First World War. Those African countries that were under Germany’s Colonial rule are rewriting their colonial history and treat this period rather benignly, while western historiography isleaving out completely the role Germany played in the Armenian genocide, which is being commemorated this week.

France and England enhanced their colonial power after 1917, as they were victors in this “Great War”. Italy too expanded its colonial rule but expansion came in direct confrontation with the so-called Western Democracies. It happened under Fascist dictatorship, even if, the colonization of Libya goes to that part of Italian history known, as the period of Liberal Italy. However, as the dominant history writing of the colonial rule is nowin the English language, one cannot fail to notice a great bias in the way pro-British and American historians write their histories. British colonial rule is presented as a benevolent Imperial rule.

Different is the way they discuss colonial rule in Libya during the Fascist period.

In reality, such rule by Fascist Italy in Libya was not much different to that of British rule in Malta. Perhaps controversially, I would state that Fascist Italy in Libya was by far better than that of the Britishhere.Italo Balbo treated the Libyans far better than many of the British Governors treated our forefathers. In fact, most of the atrocities against the Libyans were committed during the period and rule by so-called Liberal Italy.

But since Britain and France were a democracy back home, they can escape with murder. Italy cannot. I am sure that this historical memory is conditioning Italy’s policies towards Libya. Yet Europe needs now to move away from its colonial past mentality.

Military decisions have proved to be extremely good in defeating terrorist groups. The case of Mali comes to mind. France took the unilateral decisions to attack Mali or better still to save Mali from ISIS. ISIS had taken over the country and they were wrecking havoc among the population. The French intervention proved decisive to save Mali and now, this experience is the subject of a brilliant film.

Unfortunately, it is more difficult for Italy to take a similar action as this can backfire on Renzi’s Government. Renzi is heading a government,which in theory is Left, but his policies are more Centre-Right. I don’t think that Muscat is faring any different here. The Left in Italy is divided over an intervention in Libya. This explains why Mogarini, who is Italian, is very keen to have UN backing for a concerted military intervention in Libya by the EU. The last thing that the Italian Government wants at the moment is to rekindle memories of its colonial past in Libya.

But Libya is currently run by criminal gangs and these gangs have the support of at least, one of the two of its current governments. I am explicitly referring here to the one in Tripoli. ISIS now controls all the major coastal towns of Libya. In other words, it has control of this migration crisis, which ISIS itself is creating to cause the collapse of the European social system. The foreign minister of the Tripoli government who spoke to the Maltese and international media yesterday threatening Europe against any attacks on Libyan coast is a member of thisMuslim government in Tripoli which is supporting ISIS. I think that the actors of this government should be charged with crimes against humanity.

Of the four countries that met in this pre-summit meeting, Italy is the most equipped for a naval intervention in the Mediterranean. In simple words, it is the sole country that can make this military intervention a successful one. Unlike Britain or France, it is psychologically less ready for war against these gangs 

On his part, Cameron was only interested in horse-trading with Europe. He offered the service of only one of the royal navy ships, HMS Bulwark, in return for Britain to be exempted from sharing in hosting any migrants.Like France and America, he is more interested in Libya’s resources than in the plight of innocent people who are being used as pawns by terrorists and Libya’s rogue government.

This contrasts with us in Malta. This psychological fear against military intervention was overcome when LawrenceGonzi took the unilateral decision to allow Malta to be used against Gaddafi’s forces. There were individuals within his own party whodisagreed with him but he went along. Labour has learnt its lesson. Today, Labour too considers that an intervention in Libya is the sole possible action if we want to defeat these criminal gangs.

Given the support that Malta gave for peace and stability in the Mediterranean region, as a citizen and academic, I feel insulted that our Prime Minister was not invited to attend this pre-summit meeting. I am sure that this lack of courtesy is not due to the Italians. It smacks more of colonial arrogance from Britain, France and Germany. In such a situation, I do not mind if the Government shows muscle. History teaches that colonial arrogance can only be beaten by the offended party taking a though stand. The will is there. I appreciated the frank interview given by our Foreign Minister George Vella to the Malta Independent and his genuine concern that Europe should focus first and foremost on preventing anymore people dying in the Mediterranean Sea.

For most of the ex-colonial countries, these deaths are numbers. Thus, if Malta wants to be counted in Europe, it needs to make her voice successfully heard. At the same time, no mission against these criminal gangs can be successful without Malta’s input.

The ‘super’ powers in Europe must stop acting like sugar-daddies. Ignoring important stakeholders because they appear to be too small does not augur well all round. It only smirks of colonial arrogance.